Reawakening
by cherrypudding
Summary: Forgive me, I wrote this for myself but got encouraged to post it... If Zack hadn't died and Shin-Ra, with a new-found wish to 'fix' its mistakes, takes him back as SOLDIER... ZackxOC
1. Prologue

_I usually completely avoid playing the OC card, but blaming a sudden brain-spill of insanity and randomness, plus encouragement on my proof-reading brother, I give you this...thing..._

_(Forgive me those who are still waiting on the next chapters of my other stories! I'm hoping that posting something else will help me get back in rhythm...and I am working on _Gomennasai_, promise...)_

_if Zack hadn't died and fell in love with someone he really shouldn't...give it a chance and let me know what you think. I'll continue it if it proves not boring._

_much love!_

_serah_

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**Reawakening** - **Final Fantasy VII**

by cherrypudding

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**Prologue**

"Zack?"

It went against everything he'd established in his mind ever since his mind had decided to be normal. It went against what he understood of the Lifestream – or maybe at least what he believed.

Since Meteor and Sephiroth and…well, _everything_; he'd thought that his life was pretty normal. Or close enough to normal. Tifa still ran the bar. The kids went to school. He had his delivery service but now it was a casual thing because he wanted to make time for Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. _His _Tifa, Marlene and Denzel. His _family_…

But since everything was relatively normal as of late, he'd learned to expect normalcy – but he still kept a reasonable allowance for the less-normal; so they would be expected.

Of course, certain things did not fit under that category, such as now. This definitely classified as _unexpected_. Which was an understatement.

Cloud blinked at the man standing before him. Tifa, standing near him with a tray of empty glasses in her hands, had almost dropped it when she saw who'd just ignored the 'closed' sign in the door and dropped in with a hand scratching the back of his head and a sheepish grin on his face.

"Heya."

"Zack…" Tifa murmured, as if trying to convince herself it _was _Zack and not someone else.

"Yeah," he replied.

Cloud's voice was gone, so Tifa tried to say something. "H-how…how are you here?"

It sounded strange, but Cloud thought it was the most sensible thing either of them – or anyone else for that matter – could've said given the situation.

After all, how did you respond when your best friend appeared at your doorstep alive when your head told you he was supposed to be…well, dead?

"I…how do I say this…I guess I just…never…died?"

"But I _saw _you…die," Cloud managed to say, his voice still low and unsure.

Zack nodded understandingly. "It wasn't memory issues, don't worry," he said. "Its true; I _was_ on the _verge_ of death. But I…I don't know. I just…" Zack knew this whole situation was going to be hard. It would be weird and sort of awkward and pretty freaky and allow for an air of disbelief and – "Hey," he finally sighed; "can we like…sit? If that's okay?"

The words seemed to be the trigger that made Tifa snap out of her trance and set to getting her hands free and gesturing to a stool at the bar. "I'll get you a drink," she offered.

He smiled, thinking he hadn't needed to hang out with Tifa anymore than he had to get to know her. She had a simple yet unique personality; that helpful, loving, caring, others-before-self quality which he'd never forgotten and understood Cloud for adoring so much. "Just a beer, thanks Teef."

"So what happened?" Cloud asked, settling for water. Zack noticed he was unsure and trying to place himself in that easy 'best friend' position he'd had way back when, but it would probably take a bit of ground prodding until he remembered what that was.

"I remember fading out," Zack said, trying to put the story into words. "Like, I was _going _into the Lifestream. I thought I was there, but I sort of faded back in. Then I saw white again. Then back. And then I sort of…woke up?"

"After how long?" Cloud wanted to know, and Tifa was handing his drink over before leaning over to rest her elbows over the bar, listening intently.

"I don't know. A few hours, maybe? And then…someone helped me."

"Who?" Tifa asked.

"This guy; a farmer of sorts. Worked the land not far from where I'd…whatever. And he just…I don't know why he helped me. He was amazed I'd survived while I had a thousand bullet holes in me, and he thought it must be the Planet's will for me to be helped if I hadn't gone to the Lifestream."

"So…the Lifestream rejected you," Cloud drew, and Tifa and Zack chuckled.

"I guess. In a way."

"This is very...strange," Tifa murmured.

"I know. I just...something decided I wasn't ready. And sent me back."

Tifa nodded. "Maybe."

Zack rubbed the back of his neck. "I...I'm sorry for just showing up and scaring you guys like this. I asked around if there was a Cloud Strife anywhere in Midgar and eventually I got the name Seventh Heaven and Tifa Lockhart located in Edge, so I knew it was you guys. I've been thinking about coming here for a while; how I'd approach and everything but...I just didn't think I was gonna find the 'right' time for this, so I just I just sorta—"

Suddenly, he realised he was being ambushed with a hug from Tifa and it pulled a surprised grunt out of him as he accepted it with a soft chuckle.

"It's okay," she whispered. "We're glad you're back. You're Zack and your alive and you're here...that's all that matters, right?"

"Thanks Teef."

Cloud put in his own five cents, clasping a firm hand on his shoulder. "Tifa's right. It's just...it's just good to see you again."

Zack grinned at his friend and as Tifa let him go he reached over and ruffled his blond head playfully. "You too buddy," he smiled with a tug of nostalgia threatening to leak out of his eyes, "you too."

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_So there you have the prologue. Story starts in the next chapter. *crosses fingers*_


	2. Chapter 1

**1**

**The Church**

Zack was pumped. It hadn't been long since his 'resurrection' but his type of persona wasn't meant to live more than one week without some type of excitement, and that didn't go away just because he'd had a little run-in with the Lifestream, apparently. Danger. Risks. Muscles throbbing and blood pumping. A huge sword on his back; a horde of monsters needing to be taken down. Or, if not all that, then at least one or two very cute girlfriends on his arms. And Zack had been lacking in all of those for way too long.

After so long and such a weird – boring, he added, – time of whatever he'd been doing since he was…well, presumed _dead_, he wanted to actually do something. He'd always hated sitting around and doing nothing because he wanted to become a hero. If he did that then he'd get famous and that came with free food and the best wine and girls would beg him for dates just because he was awesome and he could easily get that hot motorbike he'd spotted the other week and then he'd see if Cloud could really be all that smug about his Fenrir and how it was his favourite thing to play with in the world... –

Zack paused as he thought of his friend and his behaviour around his childhood 'friend' with a smirk. _Wait… make that second favourite_… since his little blond friend had probably finally decided that enough was enough and a confession was in order. (Okay, it hadn't really been a confession from what Tifa had told Zack, but apparently Cloud had indeed made his intentions clear one way or another.) Cloud could be quiet, but he was subtle, not stupid. All those lessons on 'how-to-get-girls' Zack had given him back in SOLDIER must've sunk in better than he'd thought… Who knew that, with a little motivation (Tifa was motivation enough, he reckoned), Spiky could _flirt_?

Moreover, sitting around in boredom with no action made him feel useless and ignored. And Zack hated being ignored. Most of all, wouldn't all that talent go to waste if it wasn't used? Well no more. He was finally on his way to action!

Okay, so it probably wasn't a good idea to fist-pump at the idea that there were still plenty of monsters around for him to take down...

But really the thought of his beloved buster sword awoke feelings deep inside his gut that he thought he'd never feel again…they were emotions and memories that triggered the adrenaline in his blood to run free again…and they were emotions and memories that also frightened him to death. The mix of feelings reacted inside of him and he kicked into a sprint; never mind the people watching him quizzically as he darted through the slums. Perhaps they were wondering how anyone could be grinning so ecstatically while moving deeper into the slums.

He had to get to the church!

Cloud had told him that he'd put the sword in the church. When Zack asked why he'd shrugged and said "it seemed appropriate". Then he'd paused and added, "More appropriate than the cliffs." Zack had agreed. It was appropriate. But appropriate or not, the place he'd planted it was still…well, it was just…it reminded him so much of..._her_...

Though in the week since he'd arrived at Seventh Heaven he hadn't mentioned anything, he strongly believed Aerith had been the one who had sent him back from the Lifestream. She was the one who'd given him the second chance. Once again, despite the fact that she'd already given so much and sacrificed so much, here he was, and she was still...there.

_Aerith._ Her name sounded like a ghost floating through his head and he was forced to suddenly stop as he realised he was in the marketplace of the slums.

She'd shown him around and helped him retrieve his stolen (and in the end, not very valuable) belongings here. She'd lingered by the accessories stall and he'd been so enamoured by her longing yet unsuspecting gaze that he'd insisted on buying her something. In the end, all she'd chosen was a ribbon. A soft, small pink ribbon to tie in her hair, though he would've bought her the whole store if she'd asked for it. It symbolised all the gentle, sweet femininity she was and along with that, vulnerability. Vulnerability he'd wanted to protect. Vulnerability he could've, but hadn't protected. Because he'd…left her…

Zack started running again, determined not to stay depressed. He had a sword to retrieve, and then a fight he'd possibly foreseen to take part in. He had no time for woman troubles.

He got to the church and stopped to look at the large wooden doors. "Where are you?" he murmured, and he wasn't sure the question was towards his sword or the former owner of the sword. He pushed the door open, walked in past broken pews and puddles before sighing in contentment when he saw, past some ruins, the small lake and some flowers still growing in odd, various places, his buster sword, standing tall and proud at the front.

"There you are," Zack grinned, walking towards it as if in a trance. He pulled it out and examined it. Cloud had obviously intended for it to be in its best condition. _Thanks man._ "Hey buddy," he said to the large, shiny, thick blade. "Miss me? Yeah, me too." He turned his wrist to look it over. "Look at you!" he exclaimed. "Almost as good-looking as me. We've always made a great team."

He lifted it up into the air and swung it around slowly, feeling the way it acted simply as an extension of his limbs and how easily he handled it even after all this time. It made him fully realise he hadn't forgotten anything.

Before Zack could continue admiring his precious long-lost memento, his sharp ears picked up the slightest noise. A shifting sound. His eyes shot upwards, and he spotted a hint of black move from beyond the holed ceiling. _What the…_ Not one to be spied on and not know who was the spier, he bent his knees, picked up momentum to run up the wall, and leapt up onto the roof to meet the offender. Turned out to be two offenders. Zack's eyes widened.

"Wha—what the hell? You guys still exist?"

The two men in the familiar black suits, ties and glasses took one glance at Zack before muttering something into their earpieces and jumping off the church's roof.

"Hey!" he yelled, chasing after them. "Come back here you no good rip-offs!"

The men swiftly made their way to a large black four-wheel drive and got in before it initiated its escape. Zack sprinted to catch up and managed to clamp his hand on a part of the back and catch a foot on the bumper, hitching a ride. He needed to know why the Turks were spying on him.

No one spies on Zack Fair and doesn't answer for it!

As soon as the Turks felt the jolt on the car Zack's addition had given it, the one behind the driver quickly poked his head out and Zack yelled out as he started shooting at him.

"Woah woah WOAH!" He ducked his head and put his hand on his sword, hoping it hadn't rusted _too_ much. _You still slice, doncha?_ He stood again and swung his sword to knock the gun out of the man's hand.

At impact, the man grunted but reached back into the car and pulled out another gun, shooting again.

"Gah!" Zack groaned, hating Turks and their 'zap you or shoot you' style. Couldn't they wield swords like semi-normal people like him? Were electric batons and guns really necessary? Who'd they think they were?

"That's it!" he said to himself as he pushed away from the gunman's side of the car to the other one. He opened the door and the second spy clutched at a briefcase with one hand and started reaching for a weapon with the other. Zack reached over with a lightning speed he didn't know he still had and smacked the less-dangerous end of the sword against the briefcase man's head.

He then wasted no time knocking the other gunman's weapon out of his hand before he could use it and then, grabbing the front of his shirt with one hand, he flung him out of the car, sending the unconscious briefcase man straight out after him – keeping the briefcase and shutting the door. Turk information was usually important – and totally confidential. Which meant Zack _had_ to check it out.

But before he could put his sword to the neck of the Turk on the passenger side and start his interrogation, he was instead attacked. For a moment, he wondered if he'd struck lucky as a young woman practically climbed onto him in the back…but all hopes died when he found himself at gun's mercy. His gaze checked out the large black weapon at his throat. His gaze then travelled up and looked into the face of his attacker. Sharp green eyes with a fierceness that could rival Cloud's, smooth plump lips she had tightened to seriousness, pale skin, a _nice _chest that didn't exactly have no chance at all coming second or third in the ranks to Tifa's; and long legs complimented by a short skirt. She was kneeling over him, threatening, her expression dry and impatient. Black hair in a similar style to a bob came short on the left side of her face to an inch above her shoulder, and fell much longer as it came back around on the right side, covering her face slightly by the way she was leaning in.

The situation could've taken a whole different course in Zack's mind, would her gun have been erased from the picture.

"Give me your sword," she told him calmly.

No way was Zack surrendering Buster to a Turk…and certainly not to a female one. He sighed as if in defeat and started moving his sword towards her hand, but just as she was probably thinking job done, he instead jerked it up against the gun to get it away from his throat and the weapon cluttered down underneath one of the seats of the car.

Finding herself unarmed, the Turk's eyes narrowed like a snake's at him and her hand shot forward, snatching his sword before he could react and slamming it down into the floor. Zack's eyebrows rose. He supposed a fair fight was in order…—

And then he felt knuckles collide with cheekbone and he cringed as his face snapped to the side from impact. Had she…had she just punched him? And apparently she wasn't finished! He felt another blow hit him almost straight after in the jaw this time. _That's it._ His head now clear and body braced, he was ready for her next move; and as she swung, he caught her fist in his hand and took advantage of her shock, returning the punch. Female or not, she was a Turk. And Zack was not a fan of Turks, especially if they were going to punch him like _that_. After all, what were her fists _made_ of?

She had fallen back a little, but she recovered instantly and came back, punching him straight away. _Yowch_. Zack did not let himself get stunned and quickly produced his counterattack, slamming his fist into her stomach and sending her slam-ouch into the door. An almost silent groan escaped her, and despite her pause, she didn't retreat. Neither did he, moving to attack her again, and though his first punch found its mark, she stopped his next one, her hand clasping over his fist, and as his right one made its move, she caught that one, too. She was fast, if anything.

She twisted them around so she wasn't the one trapped between him and the car door, taking the advantage.

He then had time to realise that her left knee was between his legs and if kept there, his family jewels were at great risk if her knees were as stone as her fists. Using that as an excuse, he grabbed her thighs – which felt really good under his palms and he wished he hadn't been wearing gloves – and lifted her left leg to the other side of his lap, so that his sensitive region was now out of harm's way.

Pleased with his perfectly-accomplished precaution, he dragged her in by her legs right up to him for no particular reason, smirking at her startled look.

She looked pissed off. Ready for her assault, he caught her arm as she was about to launch an attack and twisted it behind her back, watching her wince but being taken by surprise when her other arm managed to elbow him in the chest, and he realised he was dealing with a good level of flexibility when he felt one of her knees jab him in the gut.

His grip on her twisted arm loosened and she swiftly slid out of his hold before her hands clamped over the front of his SOLDIER turtleneck, heaved him up and against the window behind him and, securing him by pressing herself to trap him between the door and her, she discharged a series of consecutive punches to his face, ribs, and anywhere else vulnerable since his arms were helplessly squashed behind him – so much for not having time for women troubles. At that moment, Zack just considered himself lucky for being able to block out some of the pain by concentrating on the feel of her curves forced against him. But he wasn't planning on staying there much longer, because this girl was going to finish him off and he wasn't done with his offensive yet.

Zack forced all his strength into his torso and pushed forward to get his hands free before grabbing her incoming fists and jerking them to one side to slam her against the back of the seat. Once she was in recovery mode, he reached down to snatch his sword out of the floor, where it now left a thin, long hole, before opening the door he'd been pressed up against; stabbing the wheel of the car with his sword, and then jumping out to find a perfect landing on the asphalt. Other cars on the road honked their horns and yelled out angrily at him as they were forced to swerve away from him to one side and, when seeing the car he'd just abandoned start to sway out of control, they took the next exit off the freeway.

He watched the Turks' car collide into the border violently and felt satisfied with its disfigured form, deciding they'd have a hard time getting out of that. Now what was left to do was to get to Shin-Ra and demand what the hell they wanted from him.

Just as Zack was about to saunter away humming a victory tune while enjoying that once-again-the-day-is-saved feeling, he spotted a figure not far behind him on the ground, standing up slowly. As he peered more carefully with his enhanced SOLDIER vision, he realised it was her, holding the briefcase. _Oh, shit._ As soon as their gazes met, she seemed to be thinking the same thing, only for a different reason. She instantly spun and began to sprint towards the highway border, leaping off the edge into Midgar's streets.

"Come back here!" he shouted, jumping down after her. "Damn it!"

Finding himself back in the busy, huge centre of Midgar, Zack had to push himself to use all his speed to keep up; a difficult thing for him to do when considering he was a pretty lazy runner. The Turk girl, however, had no problem as she rapidly wove through passers-by like a gazelle, barely touching anyone as she did. It wasn't a surprise, since he'd already seen her dexterity and swift fighting style. He, on the other hand, just made sure people could see him coming and if they didn't, opted to push them out of the way as gently as he could. Which wasn't very gentle.

Suddenly she darted into a bar, and Zack groaned. She just _had_ to implicate innocent, simple customers in their row. And here he'd thought all Turks were strictly by the Shin-Ra book – especially on public discretion. He rushed in after her and froze when he saw all the men in the bar turn to glare at him – and the Turk girl pointing at him with one of the best damsel-in-distress looks he'd ever seen…all the while laying one hand gently and 'innocently' on her shirt front. _Man, she's good_.

Suddenly some half-drunk dimwit yelled out, "Get him!" and the bar patrons charged at him with their fists and whatever they could get their hands on. It wasn't that Zack couldn't easily take them all on; it was just that time was being wasted, she had disappeared, and…and…

And how on Gaia had she managed to charm a full bar of men in less than ten seconds?

All Zack had to do was shove a few off into tables and counters, elbow some in the jaw, serve up a root canal or two to a few unsuspecting machos who weren't so quick on their feet, and he could easily push his way out of the place after Miss Mayhem, who'd snuck out the back and through a narrow alleyway to get back onto the streets. He saw her on her phone and he broke into an even faster sprint, knowing it was all over if he didn't catch her now before whoever she was talking to decided to appear.

She looked back and he thought she might've cursed, which meant she was also running low on stamina. Zack chased her about four blocks more until she turned into an apartment building and he realised she must've called in a chopper.

_Gotta get there first!_ He took the stairs four steps at a time, chasing her up six of eight floors until she finally stumbled on her pace and he grabbed her arm before she started the next round of steps, about to pull her back. She pulled her sword out from her boot – _nice place to carry it_ – and took a swing at him that he easily dodged; however it had been a fake and he was suddenly struck by a roundhouse kick to the head. He staggered back into the wall behind him and could barely make out her figure racing up the stairs.

Shaking the stars from his head, he pushed himself forward and up to the top, determined to catch her. He needed to get to Shin-Ra, and he couldn't let them get there first. He needed to at least be there to know what they were scheming, and be able to take the place down to the ground if it threatened anything close to him.

Or maybe he'd just take the place down anyway, since they'd apparently not thought twice before taking _him_ down at that cliff…

Zack pushed the thoughts away as he came out of the building into the wind at the roof, which was maximised by the helicopter's blades slicing at the air. The Turk was in and it was starting to lift off.

"Oh no you don't!" he yelled as he dashed towards it. The helicopter was already in the air and moving away from the building, but with enough of a run-up and a well-placed foot to push up with; Zack managed to get his hand on the bar and began to swing from the momentum. "Please don't let me fall…please don't let me fall…"

He trusted his ability well. And so he pushed away the sudden thought that he got his life back only to lose it now.

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_review please! let me know what you think..._


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